Why is My Water Heater Making a Popping Noise?

Why is my water heater making a popping noise? It sounds like a boiling kettle about to explode or venting once in a while. The popping noise you hear is when the sediments on the bottom – essentially mud – periodically releases trapped bubbles. What mud? It gets water from the city, not a lake. The sediment is a mixture of rust and calcium carbonate, along with trace minerals from your drinking water. How does that create popping sounds? A build up of sediment in the tank causes the bottom to overheat and the water to boil. In this case, you have to flush the hot water heater. This is a hot water heater, not a toilet. How do I flush a hot water heater? You flush it by completely draining it. You have to flush the hot water heater regularly to remove the sediments. Are you sure that is the cause? How else would I know you're right? Another sign of this problem is overheated water. Because the sediment insulates the interior thermostat from the water, it overheats the water because it can’t determine the water’s true temperature. My hot water has been extra hot. I felt like I was being cooked in the shower last night. If you have a gas hot water heater, you need to make sure the gas valve is set to pilot so that the burners don’t come on while you’re draining the hot water heater. Otherwise, just drain it. Is that all I have to do? The minerals can eat through the bottom of the hot water heater. If you see any signs of this, get a new one. Ah, the old fashioned gas cap change out. If in doubt, change it out. It’s better than getting boiled, parboiled and fricasseed in your shower.